"Dr. Waldmann's studies have focused on the role played by the IL-2-IL-2 receptor system in normal and abnormal T-cell function and the use of these insights to develop IL-2R directed therapy for leukemia. As part of his study of HTLV-I-associated adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), Dr. Waldmann, co-discovered a cytokine, IL-15, that stimulates T-cell proliferation and NK cell development. Dr. Waldmann showed that IL-15 message includes a number of elements that are impediments to its translation. In particular, the 5' UTR of the normal human IL-15 message is burdened with 10 upstream AUGs that interfere with efficient IL-15 translation. Furthermore, the unusually long 48 amino acid leader sequence and a cis- acting element in the 3' mature protein coding region interfere with this process. As a hypothesis he proposed that by maintaining a pool of translationally inactive IL-15 mRNA cells can readily respond to an intracellular infection by unburdening the IL-15 message transforming it into one that can be effectively translated."